Men, Women Form Different Goals For Better Bodies

July 8, 1986|By Kirsten Gallagher of The Sentinel Staff

Women shape up to slim down. Men work out to gain strength.

And to produce desired results, the sexes segregate. Women congregate in classes where they can lift, bend and shake away their pounds. Men, in turn, build bulk in weight rooms and compete on sports fields.

With few exceptions, people exercising in Osceola County cultivate the image of the slender female and the able-bodied male. Though changing, this mindset about fitness is typical in a community where the sexes generally still stick to convention, say sports instructors and participants.

''In the South, women tend to hold more traditional roles,'' said Susan Inui Kelly, 39, a psychologist who regularly exercises at the YMCA. ''Being involved in more organized activities like teams just doesn't go along with the traditional pattern. Most women like to focus on staying stretched out, toned and flexible.''

''It's much more macho for a man to lift weights than to do aerobics,'' said Dr. Chris Chappel, family practitioner and a runner, cyclist and swimmer. Inhibition and unfamiliarity are keeping the exercising sexes segregated, said observers. The gender gap in aerobics classes, known to benefit cardiovascular fitness, is just starting to close. And not nearly as fast as in larger metropolitan areas.

Men tend to be intimidated by choreographedsteps. To improve conditioning, most men run, bike, swim, play tennis or other vigorous team sports.

''They don't want to look foolish, or they don't want a woman to do something better than them,'' said Marty Kaiser, manager of Moonbeam International Health, Racquetball and Social Club. Men prefer racquetball in order to ''bash the ball and release some of their hostilities,'' he said.

About 30 percent of Moonbeam's aerobics classes consist of men, said Kaiser. Very few men attend the Osceola YMCA and St. Cloud recreation department aerobics and exercise classes.

''It seems in this area they're a little hesitant,'' said Chuck Pula, St. Cloud recreation director. ''I don't think that will change any time soon. Not a whole lot of men are asking for class-type sports.''

More women, on the other hand, are beginning to add Nautilus machines and weight lifting to their fitness programs. But as in exercise classes, women, especially those trying to lose weight, prefer working out without men around. ''I wish there was a separate area for the women because I guess I feel self-conscious,'' said Linda Yingling, 43, who works on Moonbeam's coed Nautilus equipment. ''I would rather be in a room by myself. At certain times, if you want to better yourself, you can do that around women.'' Yingling said she would not use the machines if her husband were not exercising with her.

''Until we get them past the shyness, a lot of them like to keep to the quieter times of the day,'' said Michael Antoniac, 27, owner of Weightlifters Warehouse Gym in St. Cloud, which has numerous female members.

Although women usually are considered more conscious about their physique than men, vanity underlies fitness pursuits of both sexes.

Mike Solomon, a bodybuilder shooting for the ''Mr. Southern U.S.A.'' title this month in Orlando readily admitted he welcomes the attention his muscular body attracts.

''Most men admire someone like this here,'' said Solomon, 30, pointing to a picture of a championship bodybuilder at World of Fitness, on Vine Street, where he works out almost every day. ''I just care about my physical appearance and my health.''

Solomon, manager of an Orlando manufacturing plant, said cardiovascular fitness is not as important to him, although he admits he could not last through a 1 1/2-hour aerobics class. ''Men want to be big and strong,'' he said.

Women generally are less competitive than men, said instructors, a trait which tends to keep them out of competitive sports. About 200 women now play on softball and volleyball leagues, compared with about 700 men on softball, baseball, volleyball and baseball leagues.

But others say there are many women who do enjoy competitive sports but often are restrained by a family and many by a job.

''Being a wife and being a mother and chauffeur, they don't have time for organized sports,'' said Joan Joyner, YMCA exercise instructor.

Some of the classes at the YMCA and health clubs are especially geared to homemakers. Women attending morning classes can leave their children in supervised nurseries, an option women welcome.

''When I'm at home, the kids will either crawl all over me, or I'm not motivated,'' said Linda Peters, 30, mother of two young children who exercises at the YMCA. ''It helps to have people around.''

About 70 percent of the YMCA members are women, most of whom have children, said Jack Jackson, director. Men tend to seek out the health clubs or team sports because, ''They don't want to be hassled with the children,'' he said.